Screw-machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) I

O. E. ROBERTS. SCREW MACHINE. No. 552,548. Patented Jan. 7, 1896.

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(No Model.) 5 3 Sheets-:Sheet 2. 0.. E. ROBERTS.

SCREW MACHINE.

Patented Jan. 7,1896.

Vfifrzesses AN DREW RGRAHAM. PNUTOUTHQWASHINGTOKDE Modem 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

C.E.ROBERTS. SCREW MACHINE.

No. 552,548. Patented Jan. '7, 189.6.

ANDREW BARMAM, FHOTOUTHQWASNINGWKD C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. ROBERTS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

SCREW-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,548, dated January '7, 1896.

Application filed January 12, 1894. Serial No. 496,609. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing in Oak Park, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Screw-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for the manufacture of screws and other small articles from round, angular, or other shaped rods.

The object of the invention has been to produce a strong, durable, and simple machine capable of doing a variety of work and generally a better machine than those which have preceded it.

I have adapted the machine to form the screws or other articles simultaneously from two parallel rods by combining two parallel independent spindles, each adapted to alternately feed and chuck one of the rods, with threading or fashioning tools or dies mounted in a holder or head supported upon a horizontal slide, which is adapted both to slide longitudinally in advancing and retiring the tools and also to turn and thus to bring the tools into operating line with each of the rods, so that both rods may be subjected to the action of the different tools carried by the holder.

The natureof my improvements I have fully set forth in the description given below, to which description I refer for a more complete understanding of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof. Figs. 3 and at are end elevations. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections on the lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the toolholder. Fig. 8 is an enlarged elevation of the arms carrying the severing-cutters. Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the slide carrying the tool-holder and showing the mechanism for reciprocating it. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal vertical section of the parts shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a detail section of the segment for oscillating the tool-holder. section enlarged of the die-holder carried by the tool-holder. Figl13 is a'longitudinz'tl section of the rod-spindle. Fig. 14 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the cross-shaft Fig. 12 is a detail whereby motion is carried to parts of the machine, and Fig. 15 is a section on the line 14 14 of Fig. 14.

In the drawings, \V represents the frame of the machine, which is made to inclose the moving parts whenever advisable.

A represents the driving-pulley and A the I u sual accompanying loose p ulley, both mounted upon the shaft a. Shaft a carries a worm a, which meshes with and drives the wormwheel B upon the cross-shaft Z), and upon the end of said shaft 1) is a spur-gear B meshing with another gear G upon a short shaft 0 located above and. parallel to shaft 1). This shaft 0 also carries a bevel-pinion C, which engages a large bevel-gear D upon a longitudinal cam-shaft d, so that a slow motion is given shaft (1. Upon the outer end of shaft (1 is a cam-wheel D, provided upon its periphery with the cams (Z d (1 adapted to en gage at proper times with the studs (1 and (Z of the feeding and chucking devices.

As my machine is adapted to operate upon two rods at the same time, the spindles by which these rods are fed are duplicated and are located side by side and in such relation to the cam-wheel D as allows both to be operated by it. These feed devices, which are supported and carried in part by the main spindle E, may be made in various ways, as their requisites are well understood. The construction which I have adopted and which I prefer is illustrated in detail more especially at Fig. 13, and embraces the tube E having at one or both ends split friction-exerting heads E and forming the inner or feeding spindle, and also having freedom to move longitudinally; a second spindle or tube E which I call the chucking-spindle, surrounding the feeding-spindle and carrying the spring chuck or collet E and having a more limited longitudinal movement than the feed spindle; the main spindle E, already mentioned ,having no longitudinal movement, and surrounding the chucking-spindle and also provided with inclines 6, adapted to close the chucking-jaws; bearings E E mounted upon the frame; a gear E whereby the spindle E and its contained parts may be rotated; an inner casing E engaging a groove in the ring E which has an inclined side 6; elbowlevers E pivoted in collar 0 upon main spindie E and having one end riding upon the incline e, and adapted at their other ends to draw the chucking-spindle back and tighten the spring-chuck E upon the wire or rod, and an outer casing E engaging a groove in the tube E screwed to the inner spindle E. The feed-spindle is actuated in its feeding movements by the compressed spring E, which encircles the guide-rod E, the spring being confined between the head of the rod and the pierced lug E upon the casing E. An arm E projecting from casing E also encircles the guide-rod. The reverse orback movements pre mratory to the feeding operations are due to the actuation of the casing E by the cam (Z of the cam-wheelD through the contact of that cam with the stud (Z borne by the casin g. Immediately before each feeding operation the cam (Z engages with stud (Z upon the inner casing E", and thereby moves the incline 0 back and relaxes the levers E, thus allowing the chucking-sphidle to move forward and the spring-chuck to release its grip on the rod. The cam d aetuates the stud (Z in the reverse direction as soon as the feeding has been effected, and thereby the incline is moved forward so as to lift the arms of lever E and draw the chucking-spindle back, thereby tightening the spring-chuck. The parts now remain in this position until the cam (1 again engages stud d, and during this interval the work of the tools upon the rod is done. The two feed-spindles being arranged side by side are actuated in the manner described one after the other by the same cam-wheel and by their respective springs E The rotation of the spindles is obtained as follows: Upon the shaft a is apulleyF belted to a pulley F upon the shaft f, and shaft f also carries a spur-gearF which meshes with the gears E upon the feed devices, the gear F being placed so it will operate the gears E of the two main spindles and at the same time allow said gears to come close together.

Opposite the ends of the spindles holding the rods which are worked up into screws, &c., I place the t0ol.holder G, and mount it upon a horizontal cylindrical slide II moving in line with said spindles and having its axis equidistant from each. This slide forms a pivotal support for the holder as it is adapted to turn upon its axis as well as slide in the bushing 71 supported in an arm of the frame. The holder is made to turn, so that the dies or other tools carried thereby may exchange positions, by means of an oscillating toothed segment J, meshing with the toothed portion J of the slide, the segment being actuated in its oscillation by the cams J J 2 upon the eam-wheel J 3 carried by the shaft (I, such cams engaging with the antifriction-rollers J J 5 pivoted upon the opposite sides of the segment.

The sliding tool-holder is fed forward either automatically or by hand, as desired. The automatic feed is performed by the following mechanism: Upon shaft (Z are other cams K, each adapted to lift a rack-bar K. This bar, which is preferably hollow and provided with a depressing-spring K confined between its upper end and the cap K closing the top of the opening in which the rack travels is provided with teeth upon its side face which mesh with a long gear K Gear K" meshes in turn with a second gear K, and gear K" engages with the rack-teeth h of the slide ll and feeds the latter forward. The teeth 71. are annular in form, so that slide ll may be slid in any position it may assume in its oscillation. This slide is fed forward twice during each revolution of the cam-shaft (Z and retracted after each forward movement through the action of spring 1?, and it is also oscillated at the end of each return or backward movement by the mechanism already described.

It is often desirable in adjusting the machine that the operator be able to actuate the feed of the tool-holder and of the stock by hand, because in that way he can get the desired adjustment before starting to use the automatic devices for actuating the feed, and before he has turned out any imperfect work. To permit this, I insert a clutch in the train of mechanism whereby the feeds are actuated, and this clutch is preferably located between the shaft Z) and the worm-gear 15 carried thereon, and is shown in detail at Fig. 14. The shaft 1), which is preferably extended from the rear to the front of the machine, where it can be actuated readily by the attendant, is made hollow, and in it is a sliding rod L, bearing at one end against a crosspin L in the clutching-ring L and adapted to force said ring into frictional engagement with the interior surface of gearl the latter being made in crown-wheel form. A spring L acts in the contrary direction upon the pin. The rod is moved inward in the performance of its function by the screw 1. having a threaded engagement with the interior of the shaft. The threaded recess L in the end of rod L is intended for use when the rod is to be drawn endwise out of the machine. The screw is provided with an exterior head L whereby it may be rotated by hand, and shaft Z) at the end projecting in front of the machine is provided with side keys L adapted to receive a suitable wrench when it is desired to operate it by hand.

.Vhen it is desired to rotate the tools carricd by the holder G, I employ the following mechanism: Extending through the slide II, which is made hollow for the purpose, is a shaft M carrying at its outer end the pulley M, which may be belted to the pulley N upon shaft a. At its inner end the shaft M carries a pinion m which drives an intermediate pinion on, and this in turn drives a pinion m mounted upon the stem 0 of the tool or diechuck O, which is held in the end of the oscillating holder G, and has a clutch on the rear face of the head which holds the die adapted Said pinion has to clutch with the pinion m also a dovetail connection (shown at M to the holder G, whereby it is held against sliding. Splined upon the rear end of the stem 0 is a movable clutch piece or ring 0, which may be made to engage with corresponding clutch-teeth upon the rear face of the holder G whenever the tool is to be stopped from rotating. A spring 0 encircles the stem 0 between the holder G and the ring 0, and a second and stronger spring 0 is placed upon the stem between the head or button 0 and the ring 0. lVith this construction the normal action of the springs is to keep the pinion and tool in engagement, so that the latter rotates. This engagement may, however, be broken, and preferably is broken in making screws, at the end of the threading operation by the drawing backward of the die-holder and die, and this drawing backward causes the engagement of the clutch O with the holder G and the consequent stoppage of the rotation. The second spring O is a safety device, intended to obviate danger of stripping the thread from off the screw when the threading operation is completed, such as might result if, in drawing backward, the clutch-teeth on 0 should merely strike instead of entering those on holder G. The screw or other blank after it has been acted upon by the tools is severed from the rod by the devices following: Immediately above each of the rod-feedin g devices I place rock-shafts P, each carrying arms 19, to the ends of which cutters adapted to sever the blanks are secured. To bring the cutters into operative position, the shafts P are each provided with a crank-arm P, and said arms P are actuated by a sliding bar Q, having a stud 1 located between the arms P so that it is adapted to move one arm up and the other down, and thus bring the cutters to act upon the rod. The bar Q is actuated by the cams R and R upon the side of wheel D, one of said cams being adapted to lift the bar and the other to depress it through the medium of roller q upon the bar. A spring T acts upon the crank-arms to keep them normally in position to be acted upon by the bar Q, and adj listing-screws t in the arms regulate the extent of movement imparted by the bar. These cutters may be moved into operating position by operating the shaft 1) by hand, usually through the medium of handles P In some cases where it is not desired to r0: tate the tool in the direction which the construction shown is adapted to impart the pinion m may be made to mesh directly with the pinion m upon the tool-holder shaft. This may be accomplished by changing the sizesof the pinions mentioned, as will be well understood.

plate H forked at its opposite ends is mounted upon the slide H, and when the slide moves forward to the work this plate straddles the registering device H and thus insures the correct positioning of the operating-tools relative to the stock.

I claim 1. In a screw machine, the combination with a rotating tool holder having also a sliding movement to and from the Work, of mechanism for rotating the holder, mechanism for imparting the sliding movement, mechanism for actuating said sliding mechanism, a clutch connecting the actuating mechanism to the sliding mechanism, and means whereby the sliding mechanism may be actuated by hand upon the opening of the clutch, substantially as specified.

2. In a screw or similar machine, the combination of independent feeding devices for feeding two rods, an oscillating tool holder for operating upon said rods, with severing cutters one for each rod mounted upon arms projecting from rock shafts, and a sliding bar for actuating said rock shafts alternately in opposite directions, substantially as specified.

3. The combination with the tool holder, the slide carrying the same, the actuating gearing, the rack meshing with the gearing, the cam for actuating said rack in one direction, and the spring for actuating it in the other direction, substantially as specified.

4:. The combination with the tool holder slide of the gearing actuating the same, the rack actuating the gearing, the cam lifting the rack and the spring let into and depressing the rack, substantially as specified.

5. The combination of independent spindles and the rod feeding and holding devices, with a movable tool holder supported and turning upon a horizontal and longitudinal axis and carrying a plurality of tools some one or more of which rotate, and which tools it presents successively to each spindle, and cutters one for each spindle acting alternately to sever the completed work from the rods fed by the spindles, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of independent spindles and the rod feeding and holding devices, with a movable tool holder supported and turning upon a horizontal and longitudinal axis and carrying a plurality of tools some one or more of which rotate, and which tools it presents successively to each spindle, and cutters one for each spindle acting alternately to sever the completed work from the rods fed by the spindles, said cutters being supported upon longitudinal rock shafts, substantially as specified.

CHARLES E. ROBERTS.

\Vitnesses 2 Enw. S. EVARTS, H. M. MUNDAY.

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